1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to that field of lighting devices commonly known as flashlights and which are usually hand held for directing a beam of light onto a subject and wherein the light was turned on and off by a built-in switch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, it has been the usual practice to enclose one or more batteries in a cylindrical container, which may have been either metal, or plastic, and in order to energize the bulb it was necessary to actuate an exterior switch on the container to complete a circuit from the metal rear end of the battery can to the bulb, with the anode of the battery normally disposed in contact with the base of the bulb so that when the switch was actuated a circuit was completed to energize the bulb and cause it to light. The battery included an insulating outer cover to avoid grounding in the cylindrical container and the switch was usually of a sliding type, or a push button, or sometimes a combination of the two and so arranged that an energizing circuit to the bulb could only be completed through the switch. Some heavy duty flashlights, or so-called lanterns, used a snap action switch which was operated by a push button located adjacent to a handle on the light which enabled the lantern to be carried by the handle and the switch pressed by the thumb of the hand carrying the unit. In any case, the battery had to be insulated around its outer surface and the circuit to the bulb was completed only from the rear end of the battery through the switch and the central anode bearing against the base of the bulb.